


Purina IV: Bride of Lion Chow

by orphan_account



Series: Purina [4]
Category: Hannibal (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, F/F, Gen, Homophobia, Rule 63, mention of violence, well meaning parents
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-12
Updated: 2014-09-12
Packaged: 2018-02-17 04:08:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 831
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2296049
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mina finally bites the bullet and comes out to her dad. She is a nervous, nervous Nellie.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Purina IV: Bride of Lion Chow

Mina was wearing her sneakers. She was in the kitchen with her father, with a clear line to the door. Outside, under the front steps, was a bag with her birth certificate, a change of clothes, and fifty dollars in dogsitting money. Winston’s leash was right beside it, and Winston himself was idly sniffing in the yard, right where she could see him. Easy access. If she had to, she could leave very quickly.

Her dad was reading the newspaper at the kitchen table. She sat down across from him, fighting the need to pace. She moved her hands anxiously, counting the syllables of words on her fingers, playing with the seam of her dress.

“Dad?”

He looked up at her. “Everything okay?” He frowned. She was pale as glass, and her voice was scratchy and strained. Mina had always been a sensitive child; the current problem could have been anything from a sore throat to a troubling intuition.

Mina smiled, laughed nervously. “Uh. I think so. I don’t know.”

He folded the paper now and gave her his full attention. “You don’t know?”

“No. Um. Dad, I’m gay.” The words came out in a rush, like they were painful to say. She actually flinched when she said them.

“I know, honey,” he said.

“You what?!”

“I know.” He shrugged. “You’ve got your little girlfriend, right? The Russian kid?”

“Wait, you knew?” She traced her memory back for any sign, any hint. She felt like she’d been standing in midair and only just realized there was no floor. They’d kept it quiet, covered their tracks, they’d been so _good_ “For how long?”

“Since you started holding hands and talking on the phone all night,” he said.

“Straight girls do that!”

“Yeah, but you don’t.”

Mina ran her hands through her hair. Of course any social engagement would have been suspect. She didn’t make friends with two legs. “Why didn’t you say something?”

“What was I gonna say, ‘Don’t get pregnant?’”

“You – you could have said, ‘I know you’re gay.’ ‘I don’t care.’ ‘I’m not going to kick you out or hit you or turn you over to Rev. Saunders or –’”

“Is that what you thought?”

“I didn’t know!”

He stood up and moved to her side of the table, where he put his arms around her and held her close. “I’m not gonna kick you out. I’m not gonna hit you. And I’d sooner eat a wood screw than let you _near_ Rev. Saunders. How long have you been worrying about this?”

She was still crying quietly when he let her go, but the shaking had stopped. He smiled and tucked her hair behind her ear, then went to the fridge. “Wilhelmina Marie Graham. You need to relax.” He opened a can of beer and put it in front of her, taking a long draw from his own. “Go on. You could use it.”

She wiped her eyes and took a swig. She wasn’t used to beer, and it tasted like day-old tea, but she drank more when her dad nodded in encouragement.

He sat down next to her, the sports pages forgotten. “People been givin’ you shit for it?”

She nodded.

“Gettin’ in fights?”

She shook her head. “Not me.”

“That li’l firecracker of yours, huh? She’s gonna get in trouble.”

Mina shrugged. “I guess.”

“Sweetheart, you ain’t gonna live here your whole life. If I could afford it, I’d move to the city now.”

“Dad, don’t worry about it. I’m fine.”

“Look, I’m just sayin’.” He tried to meet her eyes, tried to make sure he was getting through to her. “You’re gonna have to turn the other cheek for now. Don’t make things worse than they gotta be. Keep your head down, right? Power through.”

She nodded, although the idea of keeping her head down for people like Billy Rixton and Mr. Mattheson grated on her.

“If someone insults you, you gotta let ’em. If someone threatens you, tell an adult. Stay with the crowd so there’s witnesses. And if someone attacks you...” He sighed. “Groin, gut, throat. Don’t hesitate, and don’t fight fair. You got that?”

She smiled, the first that day that was more than a grimace. He took a knife from his pocket and pressed it into her hand.

“Keep this on you. It’s only what, another two years before college?”

She nodded and took another sip of nasty tea. It did kind of make her feel better.

“You’ll be okay.” He clapped her on the shoulder. “I’ve got your back, all right? I would’ve said; I didn’t know you were worried.”

“It – it’s okay, Dad.” She pressed against his side for comfort.

He held her quietly for a moment, sharing the stillness. “Hey, if you can bring girls around, that means I can too. You’re old enough not to be traumatized, right?”

She laughed. “Yeah, Dad. I’m old enough.”

“Good, good.” He ruffled her hair. “And men?”

She choked on her beer. “Wait, what?”


End file.
